375 H&H vs 375 Ruger vs 9,3x62

The 375 Ruger is the superior cartridge, it will do anything the others can do and more. The 9.3 is pretty cool and has gotten more popular in the last few years on the internet, but for a cartridge of it's tenure it's not really that popular in North America.

The H&H is the older of the 375's, and it's obsolete case design shows it, but due to it's age is more common. Nobody would introduce a case design like the H&H these days.

There are plenty of 375 bullets, and brass for both 375's is available, although you may have to look for both.

I was going to have a M70 built into a 375H&H or 375 WBY when the 375 Ruger was announced, so I waited. I'm glad I did, as I couldn't be happier with the Ruger Alaskan with it's Macmillan stock. Very accurate, very dependable and a pleasure to hunt with.

Post #12.....tsk, tsk. Someone is getting slow on the draw ;)
 
One the whole, 338 bullets are too tough for proper expansion at longer (250yds +) ranges from the 338 WIN MAG.

Hmmm...I'd have to disagree, the elk I took this year was at 300 yards...old school 225g Hornady Interlock bullet going 2850 fps from my .338 WM, the bullet performed very well and the elk is in the freezer ;).

I also own a .375 H&H...why?...because it's 2015...lol! It's the one I'd go with out of your 3 original choices.
 
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@Ardent: The darted lion (green hunt) sounds like a interesting story, be great to hear the background on that one.
Were you able to do much guiding for grizzly this year? And if so, I'd be interested to hear about your choice of backup rifle and why you chose it.

I'm not sure about the magazine capacity difference between the 375 H&H and Ruger as they both share the .532" cartridge base diameter and I can't see the taper of the H&H making that much of a difference.

Overall I agree with you and I went into this thread thinking 375 H&H would be the most ideal for my intended use and ease of component availability/reloading recipes. My only real apprehension was getting used to the longer bolt throw on the 375 H&H (it's usually 3/4" longer) as I only use 30-06 length actions now. However I can learn and adapt (and maybe give myself a fat lip, but so what). Plus, I don't see the point in the 338 WIN MAG when I have a 7mm REM MAG and 30-06, not enough of a step up in power, whereas the 375 H&H and company will provide a noticeable boost and give me a decent and non-marginal option should I get a grizz or bison.

Regarding the taper on the H&H, remember there had to be taper on cartridges of the day due to the quality of brass available at the time. Extraction is very important when time is limited.
 
That barnes data for the 9.3x62 is yet again under loaded. Heres some warmer data from Real guns.

9.3x62 (Test rifle: Ruger m77 African)

http://www.realguns.com/loads/93x62mm.htm

375 H&H ( Test rifles: Ruger #1 and Cz 550)

http://www.realguns.com/loads/375.htm

375 Ruger (Test rifle: Ruger M77 African)

http://www.realguns.com/loads/375Ruger.htm

From this data you can clearly see that the 9.3x62 Nips at the Heels of the H&H and the Ruger pulling slightly away at 2800fps for a 300gr.
If I ever get a chance to hunt Africa I would like to do it with the 9.3x62 and with 8x57 or 7x64.

Sorry we must not be reading the same data :redface: Nips at the heels? The .375 H&H is moving both 250 and 265gr bullets at a whiff shy of 3,000fps in that data- that's .270 Winchester trajectory territory. The 9.3 is moving a 270 at 2630fps for 4,145ft-lbs max in the same warmer data you provided there, and the .375 H&H is moving a 265gr at 2,986fps for 5,248ft-lbs in comparison. That's a 356fps deficit for the 9.3x62 in speed, and 1,100ft-lbs of energy short. That's the spitting image of the difference between a .308 Winchester and a .300 Win Mag, and probably the best analogy we'll find in comparing the two cartridges. Both shoot similar bullet weights, one fits in smaller, lighter rifles, less recoil, burns less powder and kills anything the bigger one will. It will however not offer anything close to the trajectory and range of it's bigger competitor.
 
Sorry we must not be reading the same data :redface: Nips at the heels? The .375 H&H is moving both 250 and 265gr bullets at a whiff shy of 3,000fps in that data- that's .270 Winchester trajectory territory. The 9.3 is moving a 270 at 2630fps for 4,145ft-lbs max in the same warmer data you provided there, and the .375 H&H is moving a 265gr at 2,986fps for 5,248ft-lbs in comparison. That's a 356fps deficit for the 9.3x62 in speed, and 1,100ft-lbs of energy short. That's the spitting image of the difference between a .308 Winchester and a .300 Win Mag, and probably the best analogy we'll find in comparing the two cartridges. Both shoot similar bullet weights, one fits in smaller, lighter rifles, less recoil, burns less powder and kills anything the bigger one will. It will however not offer anything close to the trajectory and range of it's bigger competitor.

I understand that the h&h will be faster but what I was getting too was the 286gr vs 300 gr class. I see it more like 308 win vs the 06, about 100-150 fps difference.
 
I think the comparison of the 308 WIN vs the 300 WIN MAG being analogous to the 9,3x62 vs the 375 (H&H and Ruger) is pretty reasonable and something most of us have experience with. On that note, the 308 WIN will kill anything the 300 WIN MAG will, you just have to get lots closer. Although at short range the 300 WIN MAG does produce some dramatic wounding you'll not see with the 308 WIN at any range.
As per most cartridge arguments where the cartridges are in the same class, effectiveness on game is a function of bullets more than anything else. Heck if I'd pick one thing I think most hunters should pay more attention to, I'd tell them to match the bullet to the game they're after. None of this generic 150grn for deer, 180grn for anything bigger (30-06 example) as there are some substantial variations of the bullet designs within every weight class.
 
I would say match the bullet for the speed at which it arrives at the intended target. A C&C sucks at blistering speeds on big game, and a TSX isn't so great at low velocity. Pick your bullet weight and construction according to what it's supposed to do at the speed it's hitting the animal!!

Another reason I like partitions and Accubonds, they work well at distance, but still work when you have that 25 yard shot from your belted overbore WMNMWSMRUMRCMWSSMLOUDENBOOMER Zipper!
 
I understand that the h&h will be faster but what I was getting too was the 286gr vs 300 gr class. I see it more like 308 win vs the 06, about 100-150 fps difference.

9.3x62 2,464fps for 3,855ft-lbs with Barnes 286gr banded solid
.375 H&H 2,985fps for 5,334ft-lbs with Barnes 270gr banded solid

The difference could be fairly argued to be bigger than .308 / .300 Win Mag I suspect. No point in opting for the 300gr .375 in this comprison, just as fair to throw 16grs for the .375 than 14 against it- and not like there's a difference in how either solid acts. It is a popular notion the 9.3x62 is "almost" a .375 H&H or is somehow nipping at the heels of it, the straight truth is the gap between the two is very large. It's not fair to compare a standard cartridge on a case similar to the .30-06's to a large magnum, they're simply not in the same class, at all.

Both are extremely effective, and the 9.3x62 has virtues the .375 Mags don't- lighter guns, lighter recoil, lighter powder charges, and one more in the mag. Those are fantastic attributes, but to try and compete with .375 magnums on ballistics isn't its domain and it will always come up short, and a great deal short at that. You just can't make even close to equivalent power with a slightly smaller bore (pressure isn't as efficient at moving the bullet), and a smaller case. The 9.3x62 will look a lot better if people stop trying to say it's almost a .375 H&H and start comparing it to its true competitors- .35 Whelen, 220gr .30-06, etc.

Those true competitors also give the .375 Mags a fair shake on game at typical ranges (inside 100 yards), but not balliistically, and you are handicapping yourself on range with a 9.3x62 as well. Great cartridge, it's just not a magnum- not all jobs call for a magnum by any means either.
 
I've shot many moose and black bear with the 338WM, 35Whelen,375H&H and 9.3x66 (a +P 9.3x62). All have ample power to kill at any reasonable hunting range. Some range better than others , the 338 is basically a 30-06 with 25% more power that is rarely needed. The 35Whelen is a real sleeper in this crowd does what all the others can do but doesn't range as well , top loads are 24" low at 400 yards. 375 H&H's are usually housed in a heavy rifle.......the Ruger designed to fit cheap actions and just more of the same. The 9.3 with a 250gr AccuBond is probably the best all round for trajectory,recoil and on target energy. Can normally run a 286gr bullet at 2500+fps and a 250gr at near 2700fps, a ton of energy and a big bullet at 400 yards does the job with out kicking the snot out of you.
 
@Cleftwynd
What you mean is if I use a Nosler Partition in this I'm good to go for buffalo right?
22-Eargesplitten-Loudenboomer-30-06-Comparison_zpsm0sqb1qi.jpg

22-Eargesplitten-Loudenboomer_zpsn31qjv7p.jpg
 
Might want to use a solid bullet like the Barnes or the bullets will just spin apart unless you use a real slow twist. And I wonder how long a barrel you'd need to maximize the velocity?
Maybe rename it the "Varmint Evaporator"!
 
Getting back on topic, it seems like the consensus is all three of these cartridges share the same niche, but the added velocity of the 375s gives them a bit more reach. But mostly it just comes down to what rifle you feel like using. Want something lighter and handy that won't kick too terrible, best to use the 9,3x62 (plus the added bonus of increased magazine capacity due to its smaller case diameter). Want something with a bit more power and range, 375 H&H and 375 Ruger are pretty equal. The 375 Ruger is available in usually cheaper (and sometimes just plain cheap) rifles that are typically lighter and a bit shorter, but ammo and brass can sometimes be harder to find. The 375 H&H is the old standby with the best availability and there are plenty of quality rifles around chambered in it. It may be a bit heavier and longer than the other two, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing as more weight reduces the recoil.
Personally I love the looks of a classic CRF blued steel and wood stocked old rifle in either 9,3x62 or 375 H&H. The 375 Ruger just seems to more fit into the hard-use syn-stainless rifle category, but there are some beautiful exceptions to this as well.
I need a bigger safe haha!
 
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